swimming with snapping turtles?

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well, ummm, I didn't really know where to post this, but I thought this was the best place to post.
we were fishing at the little pond down the road, when all of a sudden a really big snapping turtle ( I woild guess it to be about three feet long 1 foot wide!) came up and ripped a fish off of are stringer. now, I was wondering. In the past I have used this place as a swimming spot for drover because it is nice and close to the house. Now, I am not so sure. I knew there were lots of turtles at this particular place, but a turtle that size worries me and makes me wonder, "if there is ONE that big, there must be more!!" Now I dont know too much about turtles, but this one was very strong. It just came right up and ripped a fish right off of our stringer and ate it while we watched should I let drover swim in there? I really think not, but I was wondering what you guys thought. Is it normal for snappers to get that big!? I have only seen one that big in a zoo before!

NO! Snapping turtles can bite of limps of humans! (rather it be fingers and toes or actual parts) I wouldn't risk my dogs flimsy legs in there! or tail. What if he's swimming and the dog kicks the turtle by accident while tredding? Taht turtle will whip around and bite him.

to risky. Here's some info

Snapping turtles are bold and aggressive hunters. Their massive, sharp-edged jaws are good for grasping many different aquatic and semi-aquatic creatures. The common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina, can be larger than any other species of North American turtle, except the alligator snapping turtle, Marcochelys lacertina. Adult specimens of the alligator snapper can reach a weight of 130 to 140 pounds!

They defend themselves in a manner similar to snakes by "striking" at enemies. The speed at which they strike rivals that of the rattlesnake. So quick is the movement that the eye is barely able to follow it. Backed up by a pair of sharp-edged, cutting mandibles and jaw muscles of tremendous power, a snapping turtle bite may cause serious injury. The amputation of a finger by a medium-sized specimen would be an accomplishment of no difficulty.

These turtles typically lie partially embedded in the mud of the river bottom. In this pose, the rapid movements of the head and neck are important for the capture of fish which form the majority of their food. The snapping turtle has a very broad dinner menu. Young waterfowl are stalked from beneath the surface, seized from below, and pulled down to drown and be eaten. The turtle is carnivorous, and never feeds unless underwater, though, snapping turtles will sometimes grab prey on the bank of a stream and retreat to the water to eat.

yeah... I dont think I will let him swim in there... I never new they were so viscous! What REALLY worries me is some PEOPLE swim in there! with there kids! If I ever see anyone swimming there again I will tell them about Mr. Snapper. Until then, I will only fish there, and never set foot or let drover set paw in this water!

There's an albino snapping turtle in the Philadelphia Zoo, there not because of his size but because of being albino.. thing is like 100 plus pounds and like 4 foot long.......... could take a paw off even a large dog, I am SURE.

A giant snapping turtle I found in my lawn last summer. They get bigger than this, too. Normally they do not live long since they get run over in the road when things begin to heat up in the spring...but for the few that do live to old age, they are MASSIVE. And I can attest they move with lightning speed, much faster than your eye is able to see. All you can do is sort of "sense" that the turtle moved, makes you jump, but you don't really see it. Not something to play around with.

A friend of mine has snapping turtles (rescues) and those suckers are MEAN! I would say that it isn't a good idea to let your pup swim in there or yourself! They can bite off fingers and toes and tails! yucky.

Noooooo! I don't like snapping turtles or the idea of snapping turtles one bit! (oops, pun not intended!) They scare me--they ate all the domesticated ducks off my former boss's pond and we're pretty sure they got the Canada Goose goslings too!

But I'm not the bravest outdoorsy person, you might ask Dogster Nick! He probably knows all about such things!